


A Vendetta for Life

by EmpressKira



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gang World, Angst, Emotional Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Hysteria, Modern AU, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 09:51:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13121268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpressKira/pseuds/EmpressKira
Summary: Ace had always lived life to survive and knew how to get by in Raftel. What happens when his infatuations with blondes gets him a bit side-tracked from a certain first commander from Foosha? Everything starts turning out to not be what he has known and it was all because of this blonde man.





	A Vendetta for Life

"Yo, Teach, stop shoving your face already!" I spoke out as I shifted to sit on the counter with a look to the man.

"You should eat something since we all know you are going to drink, Ace!" A laugh left the unruly man as he shoved more cherry pie in his mouth. This grin was on me as I kicked legs out and stretched arms above my head.

"Well, Lafitte and Augur are going so I most likely won't be able to get  _that_  drunk, plus it's not in  _our_  territory." Adrenaline pumped through me as we were stepping the boundary from Raftel to Foosha, which are a part of Grand Line City, but are controlled by different gangs. The society classes are very different since our territory is more along the lines of poor and Foosha is middle-class and up.

We are the Blackbeard gang, following after our Captain, Blackbeard; whose real name is Marshall Teach. Raftel stayed under our hand like a warm flame as most men were almost lawless with their actions, but we still had  _some_  morality here. Women are still treated well, anyone caught being a rapists was executed after some proof (sometimes only word could be good enough from the trauma the person experiences). Don't kill a man unless self-defense or challenges you to the death, but sometimes that is even bent depending on what is  _only_  said. This place didn't really have children running around, but since I grew up here it can give you an idea on where it gets you.

"Don't burn down anything, Ace." Lafitte had walked into the room in his usual clothes that looked to be more high class than most people. "And please wear a shirt."

"Yeah, yeah, I will put one on when we leave." I swatted a hand out whilst shifting off the counter as a finger pointed at the floor, a well-known signal for me to get down. Shirts were not something I cared for, I didn't have a real purpose to show off my upper half besides the fact that I am attractive with my muscles that I keep up with working out and contracts we gain. Well, besides the fact that you can see any love bites or marks left by lovers and I liked to show I was  _very_  into that.

"Pahahaha! Ace is just probably trying to get lucky!" A laugh left me as Burgess came in with Augur who held a scowl from the remark.

"As long as she is a busty blonde then I don't mind!" Teach and Burgess laughed out as I showed hands doing an hourglass shape.

"Or muscled and blonde, pahahaha!"

"I haven't had any luck in that department," a hand was out as I shrugged and got another laugh. It was well-known that I swung both ways, not caring too much as long as you were my type and a lot of fun.

"You three, at least keep on guard, we are supposed to be doing a meet in the back."

"Not me!" I laughed after Lafitte was trying make a point on where we are going and he chuckled with a shake of his head.

"Let's go!" Teach had thrown his paper plate away and was moving to the foyer. All of Teach's higher ups stayed close with the sections being spread out, though we do on occasion crash at other sections' homes. We were actually missing one, who had some other business to attend to.

"About time!"

We left the home, after I slipped a polo on when it was shoved into my face, to make our way to a well-known night club in Foosha. I rode in the middle backseat with Lafitte and Augur since the other two were broader in size. Chatters left us on what exactly we all were doing, I was to keep most attention on me as they did the meeting in the back since people are aware of who I am. Of course, not  _too_  much attention that would get Whitebeard's men to take notice and send a commander. Only on occasion have I met a commander from Whitebeard's gang and I could tell they were strong from what I saw. Not only that, but Teach used to be a part of their gang as a commander before coming here.

Lafitte and I entered through the front, not even bothering with an ID as the bouncer was someone aware of our coming. The music thrummed through me as the adrenaline picked up and I made sure to make myself at home as Lafitte gave me a look saying he would retrieve me later. He had to go to the back and get the other three in for the meeting via the backdoor. They knew very well I got bored during them and half pay attention anyways when something this exciting was only a few feet away.

"Hey! Want to dance, handsome?!" A woman with dark hair coaxed me with her smirk as she had my shirt in a hand and gave me desired filled eyes.

"Hell yeah!" This had her laugh out, making it more evident she was drunk or at least tipsy, and I moved into the mass of people with her.

It was around an hour in when I had at least four women giggling over me at how funny I was and if I got any hotter they would have to 'cool' me off. I flirted with them surrounding me as I was resting against the wall with a grin to them all. They were about moaning in my hands as I knew how to play my words in a way to coax them. A song came on, the brunette claiming that she  _loved_  this song and they went to go dance as I went to relieve myself. It didn't take long to finish my business and wash my hands before I was turning to leave and my body was pressed into the counter where the sink is.

"You have some nerve, brat." Blue eyes stared down at me with a hard look and I grinned with a chuckle as I noticed the blonde hair on his head.

"Hey, hot stuff, you must be the First Commander I have heard about?" An eyebrow raised as I shifted to tug his shirt collar down and see the top part of his tattoo. "Bingo!" A chuckle left me as I peered back up at his face and this look was on him.

"You must be the Fourth Section's Boss…"

"Bleh, I'm off right now." I complained with a tongue out before he gave a questioning look towards me before the body leaned into me more.

"You better get out of our territory."

"Boo, no fun!" The tease left me with a snicker as I seen that eyebrow twitch and I couldn't help the thrill thrumming through my veins. My fingers gripped his shirt as I brought him closer with lips lingering over his with a lustful gaze. "I'm not interested in boundaries tonight, wanna have fun, blondie?" A spark went through blue eyes before a hand gripped my chin as he stared at me.

"I can tell, but don't you think you are a little too young to try and seduce me, brat?" The question made me hum out as I let my other hand grasp his pant pocket to pull him closer with a grind of my hips. A curse left him as I licked my lips and chuckled lowly.

"Well, at least you can still get it up,  _old man_." Lips were against mine as I tipped him over the edge and I held his shirt tightly towards me.

This moan purred through my throat as I let my tongue find his in a very heated kiss. A hand gripped my hip as the other was beginning to pull me away from the sink by the shirt before I was pressed into the wall. The door opened, but he didn't stop there as I flicked eyes over to notice some random gentleman soon begin to back out as I moaned in the kiss. Once the door closed, lips pulled away and I chuckled out in amusement.

"Someone didn't want to watch," the chuckle continued from me as hands were under my shirt and lips along my throat. I moved my hands to pull hips close again with a grind as our erections clashed together. "Mmh, hot stuff, do you mind if I lewdly moan your name?" The head shifted back as blue eyes gazed down with lust before he smirked with fingers lining along my chest and finding my nipples.

"I don't know, are you going to talk the whole time as I fuck you?" A shiver went through my body at the way his voice lowly spoke out to me and fingers twisted nubs causing me to hum in pleasure.

"Depends, usually I am too busy saying to go  _harder_  or  _faster_  to talk… If I talk then you are slacking somewhere." The tease left me before feeling a low moan rise as pleasure flourished more when I felt a knee pressing into my crouch.

A chuckle left him as he shifted to have lips at my throat again and shifted to tug on my buckle before my pants. I lost clothing, sliding past boots since my shorts were big enough to do so and damn I'm glad I didn't wear boxers, before he let fingers grip thighs and lifted me up against the wall, making me groan at his hips rocking against me and I noticed something press along my length as well. Moans found me as I let hands grip his shoulders when our cocks began shifting against each other. Fingers pressed into my mouth harshly, making me groan in anticipation as I knew where this led to.

My tongue swirled around the digits as he continued nipping at my neck with the other hand moving to pump along our cocks. A jerk of my body had him groan lowly and those fingers moved away from my mouth before I felt one slip into me. This breathless moan left me as I continued to rock against him and lips began to suck lightly along my exposed collarbone. My head was back as I moan out with fingers gripping into his shirt and felt another finger slip into me. The digits pressed harshly to slick my entrance and I let hips grind impatiently.

"Could you be any slower?" The groan left me as I felt my body craving for more of him and those fingers pulled away with a snort from him.

"Impatient brat." A chuckle left me as I peered and noticed teeth tearing open a packet, amused that he was carrying such a thing or was it the one from my pocket? Eyes watched as he put it on before I felt him shift his cock away and a hand was moving me up a little so I could feel his throbbing erection at my entrance. This moan flowed out of me as I soon gripped onto his shirt more as he pressed into me.

" _O-oohh_ ~," feeling his cock push more quickly inside was making me tremble in pleasure and he let lips press into mine. I took lead on our lips as his hands were holding my butt cheeks and rocking into me with a mild rhythm. " _Nnh_ ,  _f-fuck_!" The curse left me as he began picking up on his thrusts and I let legs curl around his waist as I tried to control myself better.

"I'm going to make you  _remember_  my name." The husky tone came out as blue eyes looked to me with desire burning in them.

" _Mmnnn_ , M-Marco,  _fuck_! H-harder!" I couldn't handle myself as I felt high on my ecstasy and let my back arch as my head was back against the wall as I moaned out. My body trembled as I cried out when he hit my prostate directly and kept snapping hips into that spot. Fingers gripped tightly to his shirt as lips nipped at my neck, " _Ahhh_ —Marco!" I panted harshly as I could hardly breathe from how much my vocals wanted to come out and with his name mostly.  _Hot damn_ , it's been a while since I have been this turned on and completely submerged in lust and desire.

My shirt found my mouth as he pushed it there, making me wonder if he was trying to keep me quiet, before his hand began pumping my erection. Signals of my release flared through me as I gritted teeth on my shirt with stifled moans. Then it was all over when I felt teeth bite into the crook of my neck harshly. I jerked against him with a hand moving to grasp my shirt up as I arched back with a cry of release leaving me. The hand pumped along my cock a while longer to fully milk me before grasping against my butt cheek to continue thrusting harshly. It was almost painful if it weren't for my orgasm putting me in a high and this breath left him into my ear.

Coming down from our high as he slowed to a stop, we panted with him shifting lips along the sore area. A groan left me before noticing the door creak open and then shutting again causing me to chuckle out. I let the hand fist my shirt to keep it away from my dirty stomach before the other grasped Marco's face so I pull him back and kiss lips.

"Wasn't that fun, blondie?" Eyes gleamed to me as I smirked and he snorted lightly before shifting to let me stand.

"I still mean it, brat."

"Well after that, it's hard to leave." A grunt left him at my humor as I began shifting to get shorts back on and he moved to wash hands after tossing the condom. I shifted next to him with a smirk lingering as I cleaned my body with teeth holding my shirt again. The man shifted as he was behind me with lips to my ear and hands lining along my hips to grip tightly.

"Until again, Ace." Hearing my name leave lips caused a new stir in my body that flared heat to my cheeks and those blue eyes locked to mine in the mirror. Marco pulled away to leave the restroom as I dried my body with a paper towel and tossed it as I let my shirt drop back. There wasn't much I could do as I soon shifted to grab a paper towel and had to wipe at my butt since I could feel something there and when he gripped a cheek after I came. I needed a shower anyways, but the last thing I needed was it staining all the way through shorts.

Once throwing away that paper towel and fixing my shorts, I realized that my belt buckle was missing and though I could fasten it properly; that buckle was a bit important.  _That blonde took my buckle as souvenir and probably doesn't realize how important it is, heh._  The creak of the door showed a man slowly moving in with a look at me, cheeks red from being drunk and with that light lust in his eyes as I noticed he must have been waiting. I smirked to him suggestively, but let him continue to a stall as he seemed rigid and trying to duck away from my eyes. A hum left me as I soon moved out of the bathroom and was moving along the dancefloor and felt a hand on my lower back.

"What did you do?" Lafitte's voice didn't surprise me as I knew it had been close to wrap things up and I chuckled with a grin.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Eyes rolled at my implication before letting him lead me out of the club. Teases left me on how he seemed so perplexed and was the one who needed to get laid.

"You get it too much."

"Lies, sex is amazing, why not enjoy it?" I spoke out as we found our way out of the club with me nudging at his arm. "You seem to like a submissive partner who takes control."

"Did you gather that from that one time?" I raised eyebrows to him at the mentioned before he snorted. "You may be spot on, but I thought I wasn't in your spectrum unless you are trying to trade for something?"

"You're not, I love my blondes, but make exceptions even without a trade. Or you could always try Augur, he's a tight ass who needs to just wind down." A hand tried to stifle a chuckle and I was grinning out before feeling eyes on my back. "Besides, I had myself a good time that it may even keep me buzzed for a week."

"Oh? Finally found a suiting partner for a night?" Lafitte snorted at my response of a wide grin and he soon moved down the sidewalk ahead of me. I let my head tilt to gaze back as blue eyes were watching me. Feet shifted as I moved backwards with a hand blowing a kiss in humor before whistling out and turned to be following behind the dark haired man.

* * *

"Lookie here," the words left me as Burgess had me on one of his shoulders and was laughing out. "Some big boys coming to play!"

"We found some of your men in our territory, I suggest you get better reins on them." The dark haired man wearing a white button up shirt and grey slacks looked to us as we were on the street. His auburn-haired partner in a more casual summer wear—a polo and cargo shorts—was blowing out smoke from his cigarette.

"Ah? My men?"

"Pahahaha, Ace! Your men being wild cannons!" Burgess found humor in it as I soon shifted, using his hand that he placed out to jump down and moved before the two men with my usual no shirt and black shorts hanging on by a belt. Hands found my pockets and they kept eyes on me since I had a dagger hanging onto my belt loop.

"My apologies, they must have not heard me correctly. I told them to  _not_  get caught." A smirk was on me as I kept a good distance and noticed an irritated scowl on the dark haired male in the business like outfit. I let a foot shift back to tap the toe of my boot on the ground as I looked to them with a grin. "Then again, I guess it's good it was them and not me… I have been itching to burn something…"

"Stay out of our territory or we will shoot on sight."

"Oh,  _exciting_ … Ah, if you give a warning you should send that first  _blondie_  over. I wouldn't mind seeing him again." A grin of carnal desire was on me as they gave confused stares to me.

"You and your  _blondes_." Burgess laughed out as I soon shifted to the side and laughed as well.

"We mean business, Portgas." Hearing my last name burned a new desire in me as I flickered eyes to them as I stopped my laugh with an inhale.

"As do I. That blonde will know enough on what I imply." The grin was back as I shifted and noticed Burgess showing confusion now with arms crossed. "Come on, Burgess. Let's go finish our contract, my blade is wanting a taste of blood." I began moving along the road towards Burgess and he joined me.

"Pahahaha, your blade or  _you_?"

"Whichever comes first?" Laughter found us as I gazed back to see the two commanders leave towards the borderline of territories.

_What are you going to do now, Marco?_

* * *

When I was a kid, my mother died shortly after I turned seven and my father had been missing for years before that. Raftel used to be a little better, but things grew worse as time went on; starting a year before my mother passed. The orphanage I had been staying at was led by a cruel woman who merely used us kids for labor and extra money. Government had a hard time reaching us ever since Whitebeard had taken the territory next to ours and it left us out of reach. More and more corrupted people took over the area and I had assumed that most kids had been killed off as they kept disappearing. It was no surprise that I began to rely on only myself as I grew older.

I had blamed Whitebeard for how my life turned out because he had cut off any protection for us citizens. By the time I was eleven, the place was completely lawless and  _no one_  was safe from those claws. The first time I killed a man was when he was trying to find food and tried to eat me. I had kicked him away and he landed into his own fire pit, burning some of his skin and still tried to attack me. It took a rusty pipe bashed over his head to stop trying for me and the way I had swung so many times showed I had shattered his skull. Food was scarce especially if you didn't have money for it and I had to scrounge as much as I could because animals roaming around a city is hard to come by. Not to mention sleep was hard to get since you had to make sure no one killed you while you slumbered, so I mostly slept on the roof within an old air unit that I emptied to fit comfortably in.

When I had turned fifteen, I needed money so I could eat better as the area was making it hard to steal and it was brought up by some men on the street catcalling me.  _That's right_ , I began to sell my body to men and women so I could eat properly from that day on. It didn't take long to earn enough to look healthier which brought more money in my pocket. I had grown used to sex and never really found any connection within it to really care about a stable relationship, even when I joined Teach. The man came in like a storm when I was nineteen, former commander from Whitebeard's gang and was looking for strong individuals. It at first didn't interest me until he found me in an alleyway killing a man for trying to cope a feel without paying.

" _You seem strong, why don't you join my gang? I have some people in mind that you can get rid of for me."_

That's all it took for me to grin with my blood pumping with adrenaline. Once Teach found out later that I held resent towards Whitebeard, he fueled that flame in me more. He would tell me things of what happened and I wasn't even sure if they were true or if he was leading me on. Either way, it worked because the desire to burn the man still simmered through me. Even at twenty-two, I still seethed with hatred whenever seeing something that reminded me of the man.

_Including the blonde that I so desire another round from…_

"Ah? Going to shoot me?" The question left me as I was walking partly through enemy territory and was met with a gun held up by that one dark haired commander.

"I did tell you."

"It's not the worst you all have done, killing me would probably be  _too_  merciful." Brown eyes stared to me as if questioning something before I heard feet shifting from around a corner and I noticed the man with a grin.

"Stand down, Izo." The gun shifted as the dark haired commander shifted to look at the other with confusion. "What are you doing here, brat?"

"Oh ho, so cruel. I just wanted my belt buckle back." A snort left him when noticing my fingers making a notion towards him and he soon pulled it out of his pocket with a look to me.

"You mean this?"

"Unless your name starts with an **A** , then yes…" It was amusing seeing Izo flicker eyes between us in confusion and I soon noticed my buckle get flicked up before catching it again.

"I think I gained this fairly."

"Then you owe me sixty bucks, though I should charge you more for the fun." Blue eyes stared to me as I smirked with my head tilted, not wanting him to actually think it was that important, and heard a dissatisfied grunt from the other commander.

"Marco, what did you do?"

"It's fine, Izo… You should go check in on Jozu." Brown eyes caught mine curiously as I grinned in excitement and he soon moved away.

"I will tell Pops about this." This twitch left me as I knew that's what they called Whitebeard.

"If that's what you want to do." Marco stared to me as he answered the other man and I waited as Izo moved out of sight before I noticed my buckle get tossed to me, having me catch it and begin putting it back on. "Come with me." The blonde shifted to begin walking across the street and I hummed in curiosity and soon followed him.  _It's not like I was doing anything anyways._  We moved along the streets as this part bordering the territory is mostly abandoned with the occasional person, but only if they were poor and that was rare around here.

"So, where you taking me, hot stuff?"

"Just a little ways," the answer came out and before we got too much farther he stopped and I stepped up right behind him. A hand grasped my wrist as he began pulling me into one of the buildings and I noticed it had furnishing, as if a place to rest. This smirk lined my face as I could almost feel his arousal from the way his body shifted and I soon tugged him back. Surprise was on him as I soon pushed him into the couch and was grasping his shoulders with a wicked grin.

"I like the way you think, so let me repay you for returning my buckle peacefully." The words left me in a whisper with that teasing added into it as I soon let lips press into his.

A tongue pressed to find mine in a play and I was shifting to begin unbuttoning the shirt to reveal the tattoo. This groan left him when my fingers lined along his exposed chest down to his pants where I began to tug at the button and zipper. His hands finally shifted to cup my face as he pulled me in to keep my focus on our tongue play that I moaned into. Hands were tugging before I got his erection out of his pants and he moaned as I teasingly trailed it with my fingers.

Adrenaline flowed through me as I shifted lips away to begin kissing at his neck, nipping certain areas to draw a shiver from him and fingers were moving along my shoulders. My hand worked on pumping his cock with a firm grip with short pauses to tease the head with my thumb. He hissed when I would do that and my mouth sucked along his torso, feeling impatient that his field of muscles were before me, but so was something that throbbed for attention.

Lips skipped over his abs, though my tongue did peek out for a second before I was licking the underside of his cock. A groan left him as I shifted to view blazing blue eyes watch me with desire and I soon let lips stay parted as I licked some at the tip. This growl rumbled through his chest and I chuckled out before shifting my hand down along the length and then my lips were grasping the head with a noise leaving me.

" _Ngh_ ," the sound was hardly noticeable, but  _I_ heard it and soon he shifted lightly for more. A hum left me as I began to take him into my mouth, letting my tongue swirl around the plump head and taste the precum dribbling out so I could swallow it.

This noise left him lowly as I continued my work, liking the responses and was sucking on the head before letting my mouth slip down farther. A gasping breath left him as I watched a hand move up to press fingers against his mouth to stop any noises. I suckled more, with a hand shifting to play with his balls and he groaned in pleasure. My other hand shifted to find his that was clawing at the cushion and directed to my hair. Blue eyes flickered to me as I gave a look and let my mouth suck him in deeper. Fingers gripped my hair, eliciting this moan from me at the feel of the sudden pain and he jerked his hips with a choked gasp.

The sudden shift caught me off guard and I let my free hand grip his pants as I adjusted to the sudden pressure before sucking some. I shifted back with teeth lightly scraping, causing trembles and a gasp and I watched that face play out the features I didn't get to witness the last time. The jaw shifting to let parted lips release his heavy breaths, nose flaring as he breathed in deeply, eyes squinting shut at the moment to relish in the feel of my mouth sucking at the head of his cock, and the red painting his face as he was completely flushed with lust and desire. To think I had the first division commander like  _this_  was enticing and I wanted to satisfy his need because I wanted it  _all_  to myself.

A moan left me as he rocked hips to feel more from my teasing of my tongue lining the tip only before showing mercy. I let my mouth adjust to take him fully and hollowed cheeks to suck harshly on his length, my eyes closing to concentrate better on letting my tongue shifting just right. Feeling his fingers grip and this raspy breath left him, I knew he was on the edge and I let fingers twist just right on his balls to feel them tighten with a jerk of his body. Shifting back, I prepared myself better for the cum in my mouth and swallowed quickly so I didn't have to savor it too long. It didn't bother me too much, but I didn't care to be like some women who lick it off of you. Pulling fully away, I viewed up with a smirk as I let a tongue lick my lips and eyes flickered with this underlining desire.

A hand gripped my chin to pull me up to his lips to kiss me with a lazy press before I pulled away with a chuckle. "All that for a buckle? I couldn't imagine if I bought you something."

"I love Chinese food." I grinned to him as he chuckled at my words before his other hand was lining along my neck.

"Next Tuesday, come here." An eyebrow raised in interest before feeling that adrenaline flare through me.

"Ah, but won't you get in trouble? Someone might tell daddy…" A finger poked at his chest and he let fingers grip my hair with a smirk on his lips.

"You have nothing to worry about, yoi…" The husky tone made me shiver as I hummed out in interest and let hands shift so arms were around his neck.

"Sounds exciting, blondie."

"It better, brat…" A chuckle left me as I soon had my lips pressed into his as we moved together and I enjoyed it.

* * *

"How do you like that?!" Burgess shouted as I was sitting on his shoulder like usual with hands clapping out and enjoyed the cheers for us as we showed up on the scene.

"Look who came to play, boys?!" I shouted with a laugh as I noticed sixth division shifting in defense as our two sections shifted forward with words being lashed out as they enjoyed taunting as much as I do. The sound of motorcycles in the distance made me laugh with a hand slapping against the one holding me steady on my thigh. "You hear that?! More, more!"

"Boss! Just give the order!" One of my men asked and I cupped my ear with a head tilted.

"What's that?! I haven't given the order?!" I feigned surprise and they roared in anticipation as I clapped hands out with a feral grin as my blood pumped. "Want to play a game?"

"Yeah! Let's play, Boss!" A few men yelled out and I held out my arms with a threatening look to the men from the sixth division.

"Then let it begin!" I shouted out as they soon shifted forward with no restraint and made confrontation with them. This laugh left me as Burgess was making praises and shaking with his own laughter. Seeing the vehicles come around made me grin as one was the sixth division commander himself and another division I haven't encountered yet.

"Commander Jozu!" The shout was heard as it was the sixth division's commander and I kept a grin as I shifted an arm against Burgess's head to rest there.

"Commander Blenheim!"  _Phew_ , that was one big guy standing up and I enjoyed the sight of them begin to scrounging up the sixth division as they fought back. Blenheim being the new fifth division commander after Teach left, though I had heard the second is still open, and I merely enjoyed the scene. This view is the best, seeing over everything, but at the same time…

_**Krrr!** _

Pain flourished through my shoulder as I fell back, Burgess gripping my leg as I let out a holler of pain. My arms hung down as I cursed out with my other leg kicking out as Burgess shifted me and I was suddenly sitting up again with a hand gripping my wound. The bullet was stuck somewhere in there and I growled out as I peered to buildings, hearing some of men hollering out in vigor at them hurting me. It wasn't anyone on the grounds and I soon smirked out with a pat to the hand holding me. I shifted to jump down, pulling my hand away as I noticed the glint in a building and soon let my tongue lick at the blood with a grin.

"Should have shot better." Another shot went off, but not from their sniper and I noticed their fifth division commander soon stepping back in a stumble as he gripped at his shoulder. Augur was lingering nearby with his own mockery play, I had a feeling and no doubt he would not let this opportunity slip by him especially when bordering the territory. The glint shifted away as they began retreating and my men let them as they cheered out in victory.

"You better get that checked out, Boss!"

"Gah, but Doc Q is nuts! He'll probably inject me with something hormonal again!" I complained out and they laughed in humor as I was moving to leave anyways.

"That's just you, Boss!" I laughed out before shrugging, not really denying the matter.

"You report in, Burgess! I gotta see the dying Doc!"

"Sure thing!" Burgess was laughing before moving with the men as I moved along the streets, people reappearing more as they grinned in approval of us keeping strong on our territory.

_Hopefully this injury doesn't disrupt some play with that hot blonde._

* * *

It did not bother Marco one bit when I came by on Tuesday like he told me to and had food waiting, but we didn't eat first. We had sex on an actual mattress this time in one of the upper rooms and I enjoyed every bit of it, especially when he gripped onto my injured shoulder. He seemed to already know what happened as he wasn't even surprised when seeing me and so he never asked either. Our bodies did all the talking as he had me in a hot mess and  _gods_  if his hands could keep lining my body forever I would never need anything else again.

"This tastes so good!" I stated as I was laying on the makeshift bed still along my stomach, elbows propped up so I could dig into the take out.

"Well, I'm glad… you never told me what you liked to eat, yoi."

"Anything is fine, as long as it has meat and edible." I shoved food in my mouth as I hummed out with legs kicking against the bed. Eyes were staring to me as I soon flicked mine back in curiosity. "Hm? What is it? Something on my face?" I asked out as I put my fork in the box and wiped at my chin first and he chuckled softly.

"No, I'm just amazed."

"What? From my dashing looks~?" I playfully flicked my fingers through my hair with a wince as it shifted my shoulder wrong.

"No; just that you can look your age."

"Huh? You don't know how old I am." I spoke out in a huff as I went back to eating before noticing him shifting.

"Twenty-five, right?" Curiosity was on him and I chuckled out before moving my food so I could shovel the rest in my mouth.

"Nope, nice try, old man." I mentioned out as he was moving to soon hover behind me with lips pressing in an area where my injury lies on the front side.

"Older?"

"Nope." Hands shifted to have arms under my raised upper body as he hummed out in confusion in my ear.

"If you say under twenty I am going to throttle you." A laugh left me as I swatted a hand to the mattress and wiggled under him whilst my food box was shifted to the floor.

"Not  _that_ young!"

"Twenty-three?"

"Warmer." A surprised hum left him at my answer before seeming to think on his next guess.

"Twenty-two?"

"Ah! Ding-ding!" I claimed with hands clapping out and this noise left him before a face nuzzled into the back of my neck. A sigh seemed to leave him and I felt the breath along my back, but only the heat as bandages were wrapped tight.

"Well,  _go me_  for having sex with someone too young for me."

"Mah, age is just a number, you know?" I shrugged as I tried leaning on my other arm more as I felt sore. "You're only like twenty-eight, right?"

"Thirty, yoi."

"Old man." I taunted in a tease and he snorted out before I felt my body get lifted up and I was moved to roll over. The body hover over me still as he gazed down at me with blazing eyes and I grinned with fingers lining up from his navel to his collarbones. "Were you surprised that I had more experience than you?"

"As if, brat." A chuckle left me as I shifted and soon stiffened with a wince as I rolled my shoulder wrong. The body above shifted to rest against a forearm and I felt lips pressing along the injury and breathing hotly against it. Surprise was on me at the way he catered to my wound to help ease it and I breathed out with some relief it brought.

"He's got a good shot, I will make sure to let him know that." I commented and felt a hand grip my hip as his eyebrows furrowed. The body shifted as I felt lips press angrily against mine, but I merely pressed back to meet it with hunger. The heat thrummed through my veins as I enjoyed the pampering of his hand gripping along a thigh as he propped it up against his hip. I shifted to have lips away so I could chuckle out. "If we go again you owe me more."

"Next time I will bring something else for you." Slight surprise was through me with my body lightly tensing and he noticed as blue eyes viewed me. "What?"

"Next time?" An eyebrow shifted at my question and tilted his head.

"Did I stutter, yoi?" The serious look made me a little speechless and I soon grinned out with a laugh.

"I wasn't expecting again! But I'm okay with that!" Hands moved to his neck as I pulled him down for a deep kiss and he hummed in it whilst returning the notion.

* * *

"Stay away from Marco." The threat made me tilt my head with an eyebrow raised as I viewed brown eyes glaring to me.

"Oh? Are you his caretaker?" The question left me as I happened to wonder through their territory again and headed for that one place, something I do on occasion to see if he is there, plus it was a meet up day.

"I'm his brother," the reply came as I watched his arms cross over a chest with hands gripping biceps.

"So concerned, though you should be I guess… He's the one who asks me to come see him again." The face twitched before glaring to a bruise along my shoulder that was left behind by a certain someone's teeth.

"I may not understand what's going on, but it needs to stop." The arms loosened as he soon reached for his pistol and held it out. "If you walk another step into the territory then I will have no choice."

"Ah, I see… My shoulder still throbs from when you recently shot me, you know?" I gave a look as I knew he was the sharpshooter and he scowled to me. "Such mercy, why don't you just kill me already?"

"I gave my warning."

"So you did, but I wonder… What does it matter? I already died inside long ago, so do you think that the threat really means anything?" Questioning was in his eyes as I tilted my head with a frown and sighed out as I shifted to face sideways and looking up at the sky. "Commander Izo, could I ask you a question?" Eyes shifted to him as I tilted my head a little and noticed him eye me before seeming to let me continue. "When you grew up, did you have a nice fuzzy time?"

"I grew up like most do, parent or guardian showing me what to do and then I picked my path when getting a little mixed up—"

"BEEP! Wrong~!" I interrupted him with arms crossing as I shifted so he could see the front of me. "That's how  _you_  grew up, don't pair someone like me with you."

"Surely you turned this way from a bad decision."

" _I_ didn't decide anything, it's what I could do to survive," arms shrugged out with an exasperated sigh. "Not that you would understand, pretty boy." The words left me as I soon shifted and began leaving. "I'll leave it at that, you can tell Marco on why he had to waste food."

"Food?" I turned as I slowly moved backwards with hands in my pockets.

"Aye, he's been feeding me some pretty good take out." My feet stopped as I thought out and put hands to me head when remembering what he said. "Ah! I was totally having those things called dumplings again today!" Frustration waved through me as I moved with hands rubbing at my cheeks at the thought of the good food I was missing out on and a very desirable mate with it.

"Fine, go ahead, Portgas." My body stiffened as I turned in curiosity and seen the gun pointing up as he rested the barrel along his shoulder. Eyes looked to me curiously and I hummed whilst shifting back his way.

"So you don't like wasting food either?" Eyes blinked to me in confusion as I soon moved around him carefully and was grinning with a laugh. "Mah, mah, dumplings~!" The word left me in a slight cheer as I had a skip in my step and I could feel eyes on me, but knew he wouldn't try anything.

Finding the rundown home didn't take long as I entered the building with a hum as I shifted to the bedroom. Upon opening it, blue eyes found me as I saw a dumpling going to his mouth and I grinned out seeing it. Lips held it as I noticed the cheek shift as if he was smirking and I moved over to him to let my mouth take a hold of it.

"I didn't think you were coming." I ate the dumpling with a quick swallow and hummed as I enjoyed it.

"Your brother stopped me." The body stiffened with a confused look to me and I put hands out. "He changed his mind and let me come through." A snort left him next as he stood up from his spot on the coffee table and was soon kissing at my cheek and a dumpling was against my lips. I ate the food in merriment, hands finding my cheeks once he pulled away and I hummed at the taste.

"Ace, I want you to walk with me today." This confused noise left me as I gave a look as he seemed to be thinking of something and I swallowed.

"Ah? Asking me on a date?" The taunt left me as he snorted out before shifting towards the door. My feet began to follow behind him as we began leaving the home. "You sure, hot stuff? You might get in trouble again."

"It's fine as long as it's you." This heat swirled through me at that and I looked to him in confusion before shrugging it off.

We soon found the part of the territory where the nicer part of living shows through an entrance arching over the road. Up ahead, beyond a brick wall, is people bustling around like they have no care in the world about anything else. Our feet stopped as he shifted so I could notice through the opening more into the bustling area, but not close enough for them to really realize someone is watching them. Seeing all the people being merry and having a  _normal_  life sent prickles through me as I frowned out. I let my eyes find blue orbs watching me as he leaned against a building with arms crossed.

"This is romantic," I said dryly and he snorted lightly before viewing the town.

"You were raised in Raftel, weren't you?"

" _Raised_  isn't really the word for it, but sure if you want to call it that." Blue eyes found me with a questioning look and I gave a hard look. "Look, blondie, as much as I have enjoyed our rough housing, if you want to know my history then you are the  _wrong_  kind of person to ask."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you work for the one person I hate the most on this planet, that's why." The words seethed out of me, surprising him lightly as I began shifting back. "This all had been fun, but I'm bouncing out of here."

"Why do you hate Whitebeard?" My body stiffened as I looked to him with my glare sharpening as I soon laughed out.

" _Why_? Are you  _seriously_  fucking asking me  _ **why**_?!" I near shouted in anger as he soon moved to stand straight and looked to me as if saying he was listening. "Our town was torn to  _pieces_  after you all fucking took Foosha!" I shifted a hand out as I bared teeth and showed my anger. "The government couldn't protect us from criminals! We were left to fend for ourselves! Did anyone else fucking care?  _ **No**_! Who the fuck cares if some people die?! Population control! Let them fucking starve! Make food so pricey that you can't ever have enough to even get a loaf of fucking  _bread_!" Surprise filled those blue eyes as I soon shifted away with a cringe on my face and tried to hold back as I felt myself wanting to break down. "So, you want to fucking ask  _why_  I hate him?! Don't fucking joke with me!" I quickly turned and began running down the sidewalk back to my territory.

* * *

"Someone really soured you, huh?" The question had me shift to view at Lafitte who had an eyebrow raised towards me.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Want me to call Domino? She might cheer you up." I soon looked back out the window as I leaned against the wall and sat along the seating area.

"Do whatever you want." The words left me as I stared to the street where a few men broke out into a fight and I heard Lafitte leave the room as I resided in the 'study', if you can even call this crappy room that.

I've been in a foul mood since a few days ago when I blew up at Marco at such a ridiculous question asked to me. He probably wasn't aware on how things truly were here in Raftel. Seeing a little bit of how Foosha really is only made me jealous because all those smiling faces and happy auras made me want to be sick. People were like that when our town was fighting and killing each other just to live a minute longer. It must be nice not having to worry about if your next meal will be that day or maybe in a week.

That commander probably was raised more comfortably and joined because he just felt like it. I had to fight my way up to be known and was found so I could continue on what I knew best.  **Surviving.**  That is all I am good for besides a good fuck and that really was just because I needed something to distract me. Living was better now, the home we stay in is nice, but you can't relax for a minute still. Even with the people I work with, you never know what could happen and they could kill me in my sleep for all I know. A world full of alert and brute strength is all I have ever known.

A finger lined the belt buckle in thought of how maybe it would have been best to leave it out of my hands now. It was important to Teach, gifting it with a smirk to  _never_  let it leave my body, no matter how many people I sleep with. Lafitte had mentioned it later on saying that he was surprised that Teach let me have it, even customized it to fit my personality more as being flashy, but not enough to steal. I was carrying something dangerous and the only way I found out the truth was offering my body for the information from Lafitte;  _not something I should be proud of_.

"Mmm?" I shifted my head to face the woman who was now standing in the room, bangs hanging low over her eyes. Blonde hair was shifted back behind her shoulders as she sauntered over to me with a smirk. "What's got you down, sweetie?" A sigh left me as I soon felt fingers tug to have me sitting against the window and I stared down at green eyes that were now in view when she crouched before me.

"Stupid people is all…" A hiss left me as nails nipped my abs as she lined them to see the ripple. That smirk on her lips was soon moving as she licked her lips and fingers tugged at my buckle before pants were undone. She is a very dominating woman who likes to take control of the situation and it was a perfect setting for me to forget about everything.

"Let me make you feel better." A groan left me as I shifted hands against the cushion below me as she pulled out my cock that was semi-erect from the touches. "Doesn't that sound good, hmm?" The woman implied that she wanted me to talk and I flushed lightly with a stuttered breath as fingers shifted.

"It does, Domino. Make me forget."

* * *

"Me?" I asked out in confusion as some of my men in fourth section were standing by the couch with nods. This confused noise left me as I shifted from the couch as I moved to the door that held some people who wanted me and by the looks, it was  _not_  good.

"Just who I wanted; come with me?" Seeing the group belonging to the men from Dressrosa, which is actually a city over, I went with them. They had been known to make contact for any type of contract, so it didn't seem out of place. Though, I did get this stir in my stomach once I got in the car and we drove away from the home I was staying at.

_Yeah, I knew why after I received a message._

Things got out of control as they noticed I had been informed and the next thing I know I was fighting in a car. At the close proximity, a bullet sunk into my abdomen before I directed it to have him shoot the driver. The car had swerve as I tried to fight off the man next to me and the passenger was trying to get the steering wheel. I finally got a hold of my dagger and stabbed a throat and got him off before getting the other man as the car flipped and rolled into a building.

A rough cough left me as I was laying along the inside of the car roof whilst shifting a body off of me with a groan. The smell of gasoline and oil made me realize that it was dripping dangerously and had a burning scent to it. I moved my sore body to soon shift to the window and finally a flame caught on the mixture of fluids. This huff left me as I got partly out before gritting in pain as I felt a knife stabbed into my thigh.

"F-fuck!" The curse left me as I felt a hand gripping to pull me back and I shifted to kick my free leg down at the barely conscious man.

The fire was burning dangerously close to the engine and I tried to pull away from the grip. A startled breath left me as I felt arms around my chest and I was yanked away from the grip and my body was dragged away from the car. Labored breaths left me as I was pulled out of sight and soon stopped to rest for a second. My hand reached to grip the knife as arms let me go and I yanked the weapon out before rolling and holding it up in defense. Surprise found me as blue eyes stared to me with hands holding out lightly to show him not armed.

"Don't move too much, yoi. You are badly injured." Hearing the voice that I have been wanting to hear for the past couple weeks made me shiver.

"Hardly." I spat out as I shifted along a knee and my foot moved to go with it since it would hurt too bad to stand on my other leg right now, especially if I needed to run.

"Ace, let me help you." A large explosion was heard, making me wince at the sound and blocked an ear. My wrist was gripped in that moment to disarm me and soon arms around my waist as I tried to resist.

"L-Let me go!" I stated up harshly before hearing shouting from people that are part of the group that seems to have a sudden grudge. "I have to go!"

"Ace," blue eyes stared up at me as he kept his grip and I noticed my rasp breaths along with the way my body trembled in his hold. "I will protect you, so come with me."

_Why did his words sound sincere?_

The sound of shouting made me suddenly tense as the last thing I wanted was to get caught by them. Confusion swirled through me as all I knew was that I absolutely believed in Marco. The instinct part of me was telling me to grab a hold and _never_  let go. I cursed lowly with arms moving quickly around his neck. Eyes squeezed shut as my legs were picked up around his waist and he moved with me.

"Why did you come to our territory?"

"You are not the only one who likes to live dangerously." A snort left me at the words and felt my body relax a little in the hold as I evened my breathing. It was silent as I stayed awake, letting him know with hums when he shifted his head against mine.

"There you are, Marco!" The unknown voice that shouted made me tense again, but he kept his tight hold. "What are you doing?!"

"Calm down, Haruta."

"That's one of Blackbeard's men." That sounded like another commander I have run into on one occasion.

"Vista, it's fine. Ace isn't going to do anything…" I noticed that my fingers gripped his shirt as I stayed on guard and knew it was merely instinct. "Take us home so he can get treatment."

"Are you crazy?!" Haruta commented in disbelief and I heard a sigh from the other.

"I trust your disposition, Marco." Vista mentioned out before a car door being opened and then the other commander argued lightly. We got in the vehicle with me resting against the body that filled me with warmth I have never felt before, it wasn't to warm my body… it felt like it was reaching deeper like at the times when he would rest against me with lips kissing along my back or chest.

"Relax, Ace." A hand began rubbing my back as I knew the other two were in the car now and I huffed out. "I keep my word…" The words were quiet and I soon felt my body begin to relax a little as I could feel sleep pulling at me.

* * *

"Take me home this instant." I growled out as Marco was smiling to me as I sat cross-legged on the infirmary bed since they had one in their home, surprising me since we have never had one. You just get patched, some painkillers, and just suck it up.

"You are supposed to rest." He sounded a little surprised that I was already moving around, but I had grown accustom to not letting my guard down for anything.

"Fuck you. I was healed, now take me back." I bared teeth as he soon shifted legs to be on the bed as he sat in the chair and a noise was heard towards the door.

"There is someone I want you to meet, yoi." Blue eyes watched me as I heard shifting right outside the door before it opened to show a large man stepping in. Eyes found me as I felt mine widen lightly before scowling as he moved into the room.

"I'm surprised, son. Bringing people home is unlike you." My body was tense as I could feel the intimidating atmosphere that the man carried and automatically knew it was Whitebeard from the term used; plus, you know, his face.

"Ace is from Raftel." Eyebrows raised in surprise as he looked to me before laughing out lightly.

"Guararara, you are one of the people Teach picked up then? The one who has my son so keen on going to the borders?" My jaw set tight as I felt myself shifting to move back as much as I could.

"He was also  _born_  in Raftel and  _lived_  there…" Marco mentioned out before eyes seemed to turn more serious as Whitebeard soon sighed out with a frown.

"That is not a good place to stay," the words came out as I soon growled.

" _No shit_! But it's not like it makes a fucking difference, no one cared enough to fucking help us!" Whitebeard stared to me with a light cringe before shifting to the side of the bed and coming near me. "D-Don't touch me! I-I should kill you!" I shouted out in anger and my arm was gripped, making me resist whilst biting my tongue at the pain flourishing through my stomach before arms were around my body. "L-Let go! What gives?!" I asked out in frustration and the hand resting against my head pulling me into the embrace made me notice the warmth it gave me.

"We tried to save as many children, I'm sorry we didn't save you too." I stopped moving at hearing those words that made me realize that I never did  _ **see**_  the other kids' bodies, so they  _weren't_  killed? I soon trembled as I felt everything whirling through me like a dangerous rush of water.

"Y-You don't mean that! Don't act like you fucking care!" The cry left me as I pounded a fist against his chest before noticing his firm hold never wavered and it showed how much he stood by his words and how they just seethed with truth. Unlike Teach who spoke out with a wave of his hand like it wasn't too important on whatever he mentioned about this man holding me. Lips trembled as I tried to resist the emotions swirling in me as everything I have built up for so long against this man was starting to sound  _completely_ **false**.

"I'm sorry, Ace. No child should ever go through all that, we tried our best once we took this territory that was on the verge of corruption by its own government." Teeth gritted as I felt hands rest against the chest before letting out a strangled cry as I squeezed eyes shut.

"I've hated you for  _years_! I couldn't understand why you would leave us to rot in hell! People tried to fucking kill me for food! I only had one option to get money! I didn't want to live half of the fucking time!" Tears began streaking my cheeks as I let out pained cries with fingers tightening into his shirt and pressing my face into him. "Now my blame wasn't even on the  _right_  person?!"

"Ace, it's okay now… Give me this chance to save you from that." My body stiffened at the words and stuttered a breath with rough coughs soon leaving me as I tried to control my breathing and how I stressed my wounds.

" _Why_?" The word was hoarse sounding from my throat feeling strained.

"Because you  _deserve_  a family." Eyes stared to his shirt that was soaked from my tears and I stuttered out in a breathless laugh.

"Even after what I have done?" Confusion left me as I have done some terrible things towards his group and here he was trying to pull me in.

"We all have a past, but the future is still ahead, take a better path." Fingers gripped the shirt as I soon pressed my face into the man as I tried to keep myself in control as I wanted to cry harder. "Be one of my sons and experience family like you should have from the beginning."

The feelings stirring in me didn't give me a clear answer on which one I should actually feel right now. I thought about how my mother tried her best and my father being some dead beat and then on how I had to get by. The days I was so hungry and had to fend for myself from other scavengers, losing most of the time because I was so young and weak. Then to the point I had to sell my body and how I  _never_  really wanted to do that sort of thing to begin with. The first time was so awful and agonizing that it was hard to really forget, but I had ignored that part. Turning that part of me into some type of nymphomaniac to try and get rid of the bad memories, but all I wanted was to feel love. That's all I wanted,  **love** , besides the mindless fucking I did. Acceptance to the point I could feel  _safe_  in my surroundings and not having to sleep with an eye open. Then, most of all…

"Please don't  _abandon_  me…" My voice came out almost like a squeak when I shifted so he could hear me.

"We will never abandon you, son."

* * *

"Marco?" The blonde turned to look at me as he was sitting next to me in the dining hall.

"Hm?"

"C-Can I just eat in the infirmary?" The question came out like a whisper as I wanted to shrink in my seat and couldn't eat from feeling all the stares. Blue eyes found me before sighing out and shifted to glare out in the room, making people turn away with tension.

"They are just a little uneasy, yoi."

"Ha,  _they_  are?" Confusion left me as I wiggled in my seat lightly as I brought a leg up to wrap arms around it. "There are a lot of you and only one of me… how are they uneasy?"

"That's a good point, but they don't know your story, so they are having a harder time understanding… They just trust Pops and my decision." A huff left me as I rested my cheek against my knee and looked to his chair.

"Aren't you going to eat?!" The voice startled me as I shifted to look up at the auburn male who I recognized as the fourth division commander. A day after I accepted to join, Whitebeard brought in all his commanders to do the announcement, a few showed disapproval before Whitebeard said something that made them show so much guilt that it almost looked painful.

" _Not all of you were perfect either."_

They had realized that I had my own past that I wasn't comfortable on talking about and soon all began smiling as they welcomed me to the family. It was a little awkward as I am sure I fought and said some things to at least a few, if not all in some way. All I could do was stiffly nod with my body being so tense that I could have been mistaken as a rock. Plus, they seemed a bit at ease when Marco sat next to me without showing a sign of tension of my presence.

"Everyone is making him too nervous to eat." Marco remarked as he took a bite of his rice and I heard a noise leaving Thatch.

"What? Who?" A hand was over eyes as he scouted the room and soon laughed out as I merely watched him in confusion. "You better eat up, Ace! Or I am going to have to feed you myself!" Cheeks flushed lightly at that with a stutter of complaint.

"D-Don't be ridiculous!" I grasped my plate and began eating the food in embarrassment. The two began to laugh at my action as I tried to ignore them and how more eyes found us.

After we ate lunch, I got told by Marco to go do something besides watch him do paperwork, which only made me make a snarky remark before stopping myself. I was so used to just acting in that way it made me suddenly feel awful about how crude I was. Marco didn't mind as he kissed my cheek before leaving me to fend for myself in the dining hall. Somehow I managed to escape to one of the living spaces with no one in it and took comfort in the empty room.

But now here I am trying to get brown eyes off of me.

"Is there something I can help you with?" The question left me as Izo was standing there examining me as I hadn't really left my spot on the couch. Some of the other men of the home had gathered in the room to discuss some things and merely eye our interaction.

"Ace," my name made me focus on the man before me as he had a finger and thumb holding his chin as he stared to me. "Your freckles make you look really young." My cheeks flushed red at the remark as I shifted in my spot with a frown.

"I'm only twenty-two!" Eyes widened in surprise before I was startled by hands pressing to my cheeks.

"You are still a baby! What did Marco do to our baby brother?!" Confusion left me with cheeks flushing more red at the sudden announcement and he relaxed lightly. "Ah, I wasn't pressing too hard."

"N-No, you just called me…" I pursed lips as I tried to hold back the feeling swelling in my body from the way he addressed me. This man didn't even like me with our past encounters and here he was calling me that. It really did feel like having an older brother and it was a little overwhelming.

"Huh? Oh," the realization was there before he smiled whilst rubbing my cheeks around. "Well you are! My baby brother!" Hands moved to grab me in a hug, making me stiffen before letting out a breath to relax in the hold and he swayed us. "I'm scolding Marco later though!" The other men in the room were laughing out as I was released and soon noticed them walk over with grins.

"You can't baby a man, Izo!"

"Aye! Even if he is one of our youngest brothers, he's still a man!" They laughed out as I felt surprised on the sudden atmosphere becoming more welcoming and I soon smiled lightly.

"Nonsense! I can baby him all I want!" A finger shook to them as they merely laughed out and I enjoyed the feeling it all gave me.

_I want to feel this more…_

* * *

"Come here for a minute," Marco had mentioned as I was talking to some of the men from second division and soon moved to the blonde. He merely began out of the room and I just followed behind as I noticed where we were walking to. I have been staying in his room because I felt safer there, and though I am adjusting to everyone (especially after that celebration of me joining the family, almost cried too) I still relax  _completely_  with Marco.

We entered the bedroom with my hand being grasped and I was pushed into the wall with lips pressing into mine. The hand holding mine shifted to press it against the wall and our fingers intertwined together. A noise left me as he pressed himself against me with lips moving along mine. We parted after a minute and I stared up in blue eyes that burned in passion.

"You know how hard it is to kiss you when Izo is about to shoot me for even thinking I touched you?" A chuckled left me as it was about true, seeing Izo smack the back of Marco's head when he got a chance or when the blonde looked to me with even the slightest hint was kind of amusing.

"I just can't believe he still thinks I could possibly be that innocent from previous meetings." I mentioned out in a more serious tone before his free hand cupped my cheek.

"That's because you started fresh, yoi." Confusion left me before realizing what he meant and soon smiled.

"That's a nice thought."

"And with this fresh start, I will properly do things… starting with asking if you would be mine?" Surprise was on me as I soon felt heat whirl through me at the question that I have never even thought about.

"Like… as in… d-dating?" A smirk was on him as he kissed at my heated cheek and chuckled lightly.

"Yes, you would be my lover… I would do this all properly and make sure to give you all of the affection you deserve." Still feeling shocked, I let lips move but nothing came out as I stared to him. Never had I thought about actually settling into one relationship since I was so used to just doing whatever in the other territory.

"O-okay…" The lame answer made him chuckle before kissing my lips chastely. His forehead rested against mine with eyes closing and I did the same as a thumb rubbed along my cheek. A breath left me as I relaxed into the hold and gripped his hand with my fingers and a smile was on me. "I never thought life could actually be better… I thought I had finally caught up over there…" I spoke out in a hushed whisper as I relished in the comfort before a thought occurred to me. "Why would someone not want this?"

"Teach only craved power…" Marco answered with a firm tone as he didn't like mentioning the man. "He killed one of our brothers, the second division commander, to gain a footing to show how much of a threat he was when leaving and took over a place he knew that would look up to him. Raftel was just asking for someone to take over and make the people never change."

"I know…" The words left me as I moved my free hand to grasp the back of his neck as I shifted to press my face into the crook of his neck. "When he first encountered me, it was during a moment where I had bashed a man's head in the wall for trying to feel me up without paying first." The hand in mine gripped at my words and I hummed lightly. "Blackbeard had told me that he had a few people I could get rid of for him and that brought excitement through me."

"Ace…"

"There's a lot of things I don't want you to ever find out about me, Marco…" I quickly interrupted him as he soon pressed me back against the wall to look down at me.

"Nothing would change my mind about you…" Those blue eyes stared with a serious look before I felt myself cringe lightly. "I mean it, Ace… Nothing you could tell me would change my mind… Everything in the past is left there, you started new."

"You can't get rid of scars, Marco."

"We can ask the doctor for something." I let my hand move away from his and soon I had both holding his face with a serious look.

" _Mental_  scars." This worried look was on him as I let my emotions disappear, not wanting to show what exactly it was. Not wanting him to know all those steamy times of nymphomaniac highs or when I was fired up from going on a spree with blood lust lingering over me dangerously like an animal. There were things that I wasn't proud of now that I have realized more on different things, but I knew all I could do was try to push it all to the back.

"I will try to help lock them away forever…"

"You better get a guard by the door too." I smirked to show my humor and he snorted out before hands cupped my face.

"I'm the guard, yoi. No need to worry." Slight surprise went through me before huffing out with a soft laugh.

"Don't let anyone in."

* * *

"Back off, Blackbeard!" The shout had me tucked behind Thatch more as we had stayed within the territory and mainly stayed in the heart.

"You have five minutes to get out of our territory!" Vista had shouted out as I had been completely blocked from their view as I knew Teach and Lafitte were giving me stares before I was out of sight.

"Yet you have one of my men in the heart of it."

"One of your men?! All that's here is two brothers taking their little brother out for lunch!" Thatch shouted out as I kept my stare to the ground with a hand gripping the shirt I wore, people surrounding us were staring on in fear and confusion. Teach mainly stays away from the middle of Foosha, but he must have heard about me being here.

"Oh? Did you turn on us, Ace?" Lafitte had remarked in surprise as I was the one less likely to do so.

"You are a disgrace, Blackbeard. Pulling at people's weak points for your own use." Vista spoke out as I looked up and noticed the face twist in disgust.

"He hated Whitebeard before I got to him, what does it matter? You are taking a big part of my gang, I suggest you let him come back home now." A cringe left me as I let out a stuttered breath as I noticed the impatience in the tone and it took a lot to make the man that way.

"You and Ace are completely different! You want power and all he wants is somewhere to call home!"

"Ah? Tell me this isn't true, Ace. Have you really turned on us? Remember what you said yourself? You were the last one to take a mission like this and plus you know  _why_ else." Teeth gritted at the reminder of how I had to go retrieve someone and ended up killing him on sight, and the  _plus_  part mentioning the one thing I hold for him. The body before me shifted as I felt Thatch grab me in a hold as he slowly moved me away and I noticed Vista shift to block us.

"We will  _not_  let you have our brother."

"Come on, Ace, we got you." Thatch spoke out as I tried to calm my breathing in our slightly awkward position and then heard a noise before people began running out of sight.

"Let me make this clear! You _will_  be handing him back over!"

"Go, Thatch!" The mentioned man let go as I was suddenly grabbed by the arm and we began running off down the sidewalk. A tight grip was on my arm as I heard guns going off and I felt myself stress over Vista getting hurt.

"Just trust in him!" Hearing those words made me grit teeth before pushing to keep up with the other as I let my clenching jaw continue.

_Please be alright, Vista!_

When we arrived to the main house out of breath, Blenheim had picked us both up in concern. The man was very strong and didn't take much to carry us comfortably on each arm. We were getting our breathing back as Thatch was telling him to take us in, he needed to report into Pops and Marco. Orders had begun flying as Blenheim kept his hold on me after setting Thatch down and I was trying to keep myself calm over everything happening. Vista's division went to aid their commander along with Haruta's.

"Ace," serious eyes were to me as I noticed Thatch wave hands out lightly as he was standing before us now. "Do you have something that he wants?" I blinked in slight surprise at the mention of that and he seemed to press. "He implied that you had something?"

"I do." I spoke out, not hesitating and the other commanders present were surprised. A hand shifted as I grasped my belt buckle with a tilt of my head. "This is what he wants, it's supposed to look shabby though." I took the buckle off and held it up and Marco was raising eyebrows.

"Your buckle?"

"Ah, you were holding potential death, Marco." I let it sway lightly as Blenheim soon set me onto the ground as I shifted to hold the buckle to my chest. "This holds a very dangerous thing."

"What is it?" Izo asked out and I noticed Pops look to me with a head tilted as he listened.

"A code."

" _Code_?"

"Aye, a code to let out a very dangerous nerve agent that would expand 20 miles in radius all around its core." Surprise was on all of them as I watched them all carefully and how a few seemed really anxious as I held it. "Teach gave me the  **only**  code and I have already been injected by the rebound drug, not really with my consent but… It's not supposed to kill everyone, only certain individuals that can't take it and anyone infected still alive are weakened."

"He had something like that?!"

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Tension went through me at the sharp question asked out by Jozu and I backed up with hands over the buckle as I pressed it to my chest.

"Because of it being  _so_  dangerous! Do you think I want this released?!" Teeth bared out as I kept a good distance of defense. "It took a  _lot_  to have this thing in my care! I may have been lawless, but I wasn't  _that_  demented!"

"Ace, calm down, it's okay…" Marco whispered with hands waving lightly out and this stuttered breath left me.

"Sorry, Ace… we weren't…" Jozu started with guilt showing and I hadn't felt this tense in a while.

"We were unaware of Teach's power." Pops stated next as I soon let Marco begin petting my hair back as I relaxed next to him. "Where is the focal point of this danger?" Tension filled me again at the words as I stared to Pops who was looking for an answer.

"I never had to worry about this…" I mentioned out nervously and got confused eyes as I kept it gripped tightly.

"Ace?"

"It's in Foosha."

" _Where_?" The stress of the word had me swallow hard.

"The house." Confusion was on them all before Pops realized first and shifted up to me as he gripped my shoulders.

"Where in the home?!"

"Lafitte only vaguely told me, okay?! Somewhere in a place that isn't checked in-depth often! It's hard listening during  _that_  time!" Hands released me as I was shaking at remembering how I received the information. Anything that had to do with me offering my body completely  _disgusted_  me now, it really made me hate myself even more than I had already. Marco was soon grasping around my body with a tight hold.

"Sorry, son." A hand was patting my head with a slight ruffle to my hair before smiling to me. "Thank you." The tension began to melt away at the sincere look before he moved to face the others. "Figure out where it could be hiding, places you may remember him frequenting closer to his betrayal. Any part that we inventory, but not in detail."

"Good job, Ace." Marco told me as I stayed in the hold, relaxing as I felt fingers petting through my hair. "Don't lose that buckle, okay?"

"Wasn't planning on it." I gripped it tighter with a breath leaving me as I soon felt a large hand ruffling my hair again.

"My sons, go rest for a while and then help out with the rest if we haven't found it." We nodded in understanding before Whitebeard walked away and I was led to the bedroom.

* * *

"Where is the buckle?!" A rough cough left me as I grasped the wrist that was attached to the hand that gripped my throat. Grey eyes gleamed in threat as I strained in the hold more with gasps trying to find air.

"Somewhere safe!" I replied back as I heard an explosion somewhere to the side and the shouting was in my ear as I heard a battle going on in the abandoned part of Foosha.

"What is the code, Ace?!"

"F-Fuck you, Teach!" I shouted out with a spit in his face as blood was mixed from my split lip before crying out from the dagger suddenly digging into side, but not too deep.

"You know it! You had to at least skim it a million times!" Teeth gritted as I soon felt him toss me to the side and the dagger had been yanked out at that point. I began scrambling to feet, but my leg was throbbing in pain when pressed into the ground from the bullet that skimmed my calf. "I'm disappointed, Ace. Out of everyone you were the last to expect it from!"

"How could you leave something like that?! Raftel is the worst place to live in!" The shout left me as I was on feet with a glare up at the man and he gave a laugh.

"It's  _perfect_! Lawless! So enriched with crime! You can do  **anything** , especially when you take charge!" Laughter left him as I felt disgusted at the way he said such things before he had a hand out. "Lafitte!" It took a minute, but the pale man was soon walking up beside the other.

"What's up, Captain?"

"I'll leave Ace to you." Eyes flickered to me as Lafitte smirked and I felt this shiver go down my back.

"Sure thing." I swallowed the lump in my throat with feet starting to slide myself away. "I still remember from last time, lucky you." The cane shifted to tap against his shoulder as he viewed me with a smirk and I felt my body tensing more at what he implied.

"Get the fuck away!" I shouted as he only took one step in my direction and he unsheathed the weapon with a tilt of his head.

"Let's make an exception, shall we?" Fear flared through me as I cringed at my disadvantaged state, but I didn't give in.

"Burn in hell!"

A noise left him as he grinned out before shifting to quickly press the blade under my chin. My body trembled as I watched him shift his other hand and suddenly the blade shifted so the sheath was used to smack across my face. Startling me as I landed on my side before cursing as hands gripped at my wrists and pulled them behind my back with a foot pressing into my side wound.

"I'm not telling!" I shouted out as I let my face dig into the ground, wincing as I felt something leather binding my wrists tightly.

"You really should." Lafitte stated whilst shifting before I gasped when fingers gripped my hair harshly and suddenly something was in my mouth. Shit, I always forget about the little tricks he always pulled. Fingers pressed into my tongue, ignoring my teeth as I could taste something bitter in my mouth. The hand quickly shifted to grip my face to keep my mouth shut and I refused to swallow with my body shifting around. "Be a good boy." The chuckle left him as I felt his pinky finger smoothing along my Adam's apple, making it tickling.

My head shook lightly as I breathed through my nose harshly, trying to hold in all the saliva before I jolted from a knee pressing into my side. The swallow was loud as he soon released my face and I began coughing roughly to try and get it out in some way. Sounds from the battle going on were shifting and I had feared that I would be left behind.

_No, they wouldn't… I just have to be patient… My family will come for me._

A hand was grasping my shirt as he shifted me before tossing me against the brick wall roughly. Labored breaths left me as I try to shift away before I was pressed back harshly and cried out when a blade dug into my thigh partially.

"Tell me?" Coughs left me as fingers soon gripped my chin and I was gasping out for air with hands tugging at the binds around my wrists. The air had quieted after a while, as if the battle kept moving and I was left to quiver against the wall at my predicament.

"Never." The word hoarsely left me as my vocals were sore from crying out so much. If this was like before I experienced the warmth of my new family, I would so willingly let my tongue lash out so I would be killed. The desire to live and being with my  _family_  lingered in me even when I'm like this. That drug playing tricks on my hormones and nerves; I couldn't tell what was laced with it since it could have a poisoning facture for all I know.

"Oh, Ace… So young and deceivable." The words left Lafitte as I let out a pained breath as his sword dug deeper into my thigh. "It's okay though, you are always a big talker during  _that_  moment." Eyes viewed me as he smirked in knowing and I glared to him, not liking that my pants were becoming undone with fingers teasing a very conflicted arousal that wasn't sure on why my being denied the attention, unlike from times before.

"I'm not the same person from before, you sick bastard." I growled out before crying out when he pressed the blade harder than the start of it.

"I want you to suffer, it's an expression I rarely got to see on you especially when you let your beast out; not that I don't mind that part of you." A hand gripped my mouth as he noticed my intent and I breathed out angrily over the hand. "Now, now… do I need to shove something in here?" I shifted quickly before biting onto a few fingers, startling him as he yelped whilst pulling back. The sheath of his sword swung out to hit me across the face and I panted out with my head hanging. A scream left me as I felt him press the sword all the way through my leg and I yanked to the side as I tried to get away from the pain. "I'd rather kill you all and search myself."

"Graaah!" I quickly snapped my head up in surprise as I suddenly watched a fist find Lafitte's face and a large male was standing with fists ready and shifted to protect me. "Look what you have done to our brother!" Blenheim shouted out angrily as I soon felt hands grasping my face and was peering up at Izo.

"We tried to get here as fast as we could!" The words left him as I noticed the messy job of a bandage around his head and I let my face scrunch.

"I-Izo!" The name left me in relief as I had hoped someone would come and I watched as he moved to cut at my binds.

"Grah!" Blenheim began throwing his fists at Lafitte with anger scorching through his aura. My hands shifted as I moved them forward to grip at my thigh as Izo began pulling the blade out. Pained noises left me as he soon had it out and dropped it to the side as he soon pulled out a roll of gauze.

"Let's wrap this temporarily." As he began wrapping, hands suddenly stopped before his body stiffened brown eyes were looking up at me. "Ace, your pants…" I cringed with a tense body and my hands quickly moved to fasten my pants.

"I just want to go home."

"Did he do anything?" The serious question had me stutter out with a breathless laugh and light smile.

"No, you both showed up in good timing." My breaths were leaving me in a hitch as he continued to finish my leg and then a hand was on my face.

"You're burning up."

"He likes to use certain drugs on people… It's probably just a little hormonal one is all, dump me in cold water." A light laugh left him at my humor and I grinned out. Blenheim was letting out his roars as they were shifting farther away and soon my arm was grasped and placed over a shoulder.

"Blenheim!" He shouted up as we began to move out from behind the building, and I heard a crashing noise behind us before a holler of sorts. The battle did move as I noticed it down the street more where Thatch was shouting at others and suddenly my body was lifted.

"Let's go, Izo!" Blenheim said as he had me roughly held into him with one arm and they both began to run as I held onto the man.

"We have Ace!" Izo shouted, drawing attention as we moved to the back of the lines and I soon notice a few men running over.

"Marco just engaged in a fight with Teach!" This strain was in me as I looked to the man and suddenly we stopped so Blenheim could kneel.

"Where's Augur?!" I asked out before anything could be said and I noticed them stiffening. "Find Augur! He's a sniper! Izo, tell them a good spot to see the battle perfectly and send men in buildings to figure out which one!" My dark haired brother nodded quickly before they ran off and I rubbed at my thigh.

"That's my boy!" Hearing the bellowing laughter had me gaze over to see Whitebeard approaching, Blenheim setting me on the ground momentarily as a few men from the medical bay came over.

"I did have a section, you know." I feigned a scoff, making him laugh whilst crouching by me as I felt bandages being pulled snug onto my body.

"That you did, son. Guararara! You stay here and if anything seems important, then just say it to Blenheim, he will assist you." A nod left me as Pops stood up, a knowing look in those grey eyes, and began heading towards the battle with a rumbling laugh.

"You shouldn't move anymore with your wounds," one of the men stated whilst another was holding my face to check everything over with furrowed eyebrows.

"Were you given anything?"

"Aye, a drug, not sure…" I mention as he pulled at my cheeks with a look into my eyes.

"Your pupils are dilated even while we are in the sun, you are warmer than usual, and skin is a bit paler." I noticed someone by him writing things down and how he had a pile of papers, as if recording injuries of everyone.

"No walking with these injuries." Someone claimed as he tugged my shirt back down from wrapping my chest. "You have bruising along your ribs, your shin is chipped from the bullet, your thigh is showing to be bad too, but I don't want to remove the bandages."

"Bruising on your cheek and temple, no doubt a concussion at the way your temple bruised." The one holding my face continued before pulling away and I was handed a bottle of water and I glanced over to notice a building we occupied for injured people, a temporary infirmary. Seeing the one writing quickly make some notes, he was off as someone else was brought over and into the building. "We should get you in."

"No, I don't want to take space for the others that need it." I remarked with a hand out and the man looked to me with questioning on what he should do before seeming to agree with a nod.

"Stay to the building then." He excused himself with the other as they made their way to the building and Blenheim helped move me to rest along the side. Once there, he sat next to me as I watched the battle I could partially see through some buildings was playing out, but just barely. It made me restless, not used to just sitting around when injured and I sighed out whilst drinking my water.

"Over that buckle, he must be desperate against us." Blenheim muttered in thought as he was sitting with legs crossed now and eyes closed. I watched him before placing my bottle down and rubbed hands through my hair.

Thinking everything over, Teach was more than mad over the buckle, I was good with explosives, too, when need be. I handle mainly along the dynamite range of things because man the smell of the fuse burning spikes through me as I ran or tossed the stick. I loved every bit of it and couldn't help when I got to even use the small firecrackers, that could easily rupture your stomach if swallowed;  _that_  was interesting to watch. Someone handled poisons, long range shooting, heartless killer, strength of a bull, and your pyro-dynamite man; Teach had everything all set out.

_Oh, wait a minute._

"Blenheim," the name left me as I looked up to the man with a smirk and he gazed to me with a raised eyebrow. "Want to play a game?"

* * *

"You know I will be in trouble for this." Blenheim mentioned out as I was kneeling on the floor setting up some very grand measures of distraction and this chuckle left me.

"And you still brought me here." A hum left him as I soon peered to see his grin and arms were crossed over his broad chest.

"Of course, I see why your men used to be pumped when asking that question." A grin was on me as I chuckled some more before finishing up my work.

"This should do it," I mentioned whilst standing up with a slight shift to balance myself on throbbing legs. The muscles ached and burned as I began shifting slowly back whilst rolling out the fuse a little. "About a foot should give around ten minutes out of the home."

"Plenty of time."

"Don't tell me that, I'll make it shorter." I smirked with a hum as I cut the line with a dagger I had been given before we snuck off. A slight rumble was heard from my statement and I knew it was him trying to hold in his chuckle. "There, this will make them frenzy a little."

"Good, light the fuse." Another hum left me as I pulled out my lighter and flicked it as I light it up. I held it for a good minute making sure it was good to go and shifted back.

"We should probably get out of here." I grinned whilst he came over to swoop me up in an arm, trying to abide the doctor's orders somewhat and I stretched arms up with a slight wince from my ribs and side wound. We made our way up the stairs from the building's basement, lucky that some power was still there in helping my endeavors, and was soon outside. "Over there looks good." I pointed to another building, us moving carefully along enemy territory and he was just focusing on our surroundings. "We only need to stay for the initial blast, it won't reach that far and we can get away just fine." I mentioned with a hum as I anticipated seeing the building crumble to the ground.

After settling into the building, Blenheim placing me down to examine the floor plan on seeing if a back way was clear so we didn't have to use the front. I was sitting on the floor whilst looking up to the upper floor of the building I rigged. At one point it looked to be a general store with the owner living upstairs. I thought about Marco, wondering if he was faring well and if anyone noticed us missing yet. Well, I mean, they shouldn't be too worried, I am with Blenheim.

"It should be about time for the show." I mentioned once Blenheim was back in the room whilst crouching next to me as he stared to the window as well. A hum left me as I soon heard the initial explosion, shaking the ground, causing dust to fall as the building began to crack.

"Come on," a hum left me as I was picked up and noticed the building begin to collapse onto itself with a burst of air whirling in from the window. This chuckle left me as I was hearing shouting and we made our getaway. While moving along, avoiding the people who were running for the building, I grinned widely with chuckles. As we were reaching the point back to our designated side, I grunt out and shifted to sit up with a look to the side. "What is it, little brother?"

"Flashy as always, pahahaha!" The familiar voice and laugh echoed before Blenheim jumped back as a man came down from the building by us and was blocking our way as we had been in an alleyway to stay out of sight. "You sure love being totted, Ace! Pahahaha!"

"Shut it, Burgess, you just liked feeling me up when you could." I smirked out in a taunt and he laughed with a hand patting to his chest roughly. In a moment, he was before us, Blenheim catching his fist that came at us and I was still resting comfortably. That beast in me thrumming in anticipation, ready to come out to play.

"Give me a reason not to sling you into a wall." Eyes found me as I soon stuck out my tongue and shifted to be hanging lightly out of my hold.

"Because you dumbasses don't know the code like I do." A laugh left Burgess, as Blenheim soon rolled me to be behind him so he could block the other fist and I stumbled to get my balance.

"Too bad your already injured, pahahaha!" Burgess claimed as he eyed me lightly, but kept attention to Blenheim as they pulled apart. "I always wondered what would happen if our spats turned serious."

"I could shove a firecracker up your ass." I spoke out in a hiss and he merely laughed, used to my threats.

"You know, Augur has a special place for you." My eyebrow raised at the mention of the sniper and I frowned deeply.

"Seems like I do with everyone, really you all just like that I can makeshift explosives correctly." I mentioned with a look and he moved to throw a punch at Blenheim, who easily blocked it before throwing his own punch back.

"That, but as in place I mean on his black list." A snort left me at hearing that and crossed arms.

"What, above everyone else? Last I checked I was only number six on that list." I hummed in interest and he soon moved back with a grin to me before aiming for my brother and surprisingly grappled his arm to toss him to the side. I wasn't worried about that though, Blenheim can handle himself.

"It seems you made it to his top three."

"Well, I guess that shouldn't surprise me." I mentioned with a hum in thought before I glared to Burgess. This guy never talks about random things unless a deeper meaning was behind it and I soon shifted roughly to look back at one of the buildings. Not wanting to stay in spot, I shifted to the side and soon was moving towards Burgess, taking my chances with the big lug. "Blenheim!" I shouted as if to warn him in case he tries to shoot him, and was startled as my brother punched Burgess to the wall.

_**Krr!** _

"Gaah!" I stumbled forward in surprise as I grasped at the crook of my neck as the bullet had grazed me. Hands quickly picked me up as Blenheim quickly avoided a punch aimed at him and I gripped my wound. It was deep enough to cause it to bleed, but not enough to be dangerous; Augur was playing with me. Another shot was heard and Blenheim grunted out as it hit him in the back somewhere and he soon began moving away towards our territory. "Watch out!" A sword came slashing out towards us and soon Lafitte was hopping back with a smirk since we avoided it.

"We hadn't expected you to trifle after I dealt a good amount of damage on you, but I guess you weren't that babied while gone." Lafitte commented and I grunted in thought on how things have turned. Viewing the situation, I quickly moved to shift and was reaching into pockets and pulled out my firecrackers.

"Blenheim, throw me at Burgess and handle Lafitte." I claimed out quickly as we pulled away, but was still in danger.

"What?!" The surprise in his voice showed and soon I was shifting against him before he lifted me. "Ready?!" Hearing the tone I grunted in confirmation and soon he shifted to toss me at Burgess who was a bit startled by the sudden approach. On instinct, he moved and caught me as I soon wrapped legs around his neck and gripped at his face, my hand slipping a little from my blood. A solid fist found my already bruised ribs and I merely bit my lower lip, breaking the split open, as I shoved firecrackers in his mouth whilst the fuse was sticking out. Noises left him as he wailed around and soon rammed me against the wall as I had my lighter out.

"Keep him back, Blenheim!" I shouted as I gave a quick gaze and lit the firecrackers fuse with my lighter as I had noticed Lafitte on the defense. Once I let the fire burn longer, I moved to shove the now hot metal against his throat. This holler of pain left Burgess as the firecrackers disappeared into his mouth and he was choking on them. My back was slung into the brick wall roughly and I kept my hold. "They're resistant." I grinned out as Burgess realized why he couldn't stop the fuse and was groaning in pain. A glare appeared as I soon felt a bullet sink into my arm, making me holler out before laughing feeling myself snapping. "It's too late, Augur!" I shouted loudly as I kept my grip with Burgess slamming his fist into my chest to be pressed into the wall and I laughed while looking to him. "Want to play a game, Burgess?!"

The taste of my blood didn't surprise me from my split lip, if anything it thrilled me as I stared with a wicked grin, and he soon gripped at my face to shove me into the wall again. This laugh left me as I felt the pain swarm my body and soon shifted my legs to kick at his face to back him away from me. Landing on the ground roughly, Burgess was wailing whilst trying to reach for the firecrackers, but it was too late. The burst was heard and blood sputtered out of his mouth like a fountain and his throat had burst open with lacerations.

Seeing that red crimson flow along his body as it fell to the ground harshly made me laugh and I soon blocked a sword aimed for my throat with my hand. Grey eyes stared in threat from Lafitte when noticing no difference of how his blade bit into my hand and I soon notice Blenheim come up behind to punch him, but the man rolled out of the way. The fist stopped before my face as I kept my grin and looked to the pale man that was looking over Burgess.

"Cruel as usual, Ace… and messy." The blade was swung around his fingers as he viewed us and Blenheim was looking to me in concern.

"You like it." I chuckled darkly whilst shifting to stand, the adrenaline pumping through me made it as if I didn't have any injuries.

"Our Captain should be finishing up with the first commander." A laugh sputtered out of me as I shifted to pull out my dagger and hold it firmly.

"As if Teach would win against him or Pops." An eyebrow raised and Blenheim hummed out in questioning.

"I guess it was obvious that Pops would run off to help if needed, though Teach did state he would challenge him." Blenheim mentioned out and I hummed with my dagger tip tapping my chin in thought.

"I assume Augur went elsewhere since my head is still intact?" The question made Lafitte chuckle and I soon tilted my head. "Or is he merely waiting to get a chance at my heart? Such a  _romantic_." I seethed the last word as Lafitte moved his blade out and his sheath in the other hand shifted to tap against his shoulder.

"A shame, letting your beast out on their side, you would have had so much  _fun_  being partnered with me." Lafitte commented as he smirked to me in interest and this had me return it.

"Mmh, want to play a game, Lafitte?"

"Oh ho? I am honored, though I think I'd rather want the play in bed than here since it would be such a waste to kill you."

"Ace!" The shout had me flicker eyes over to the end of the other alleyway and I noticed a certain fourth division commander accompanied by Haruta. "Blenheim!"

"Careful! A sniper is in the area!" Blenheim mentioned out as I soon had my gaze back on Lafitte with a grin widening. The pale man didn't move as he observed the other two commanders who hesitantly made it over, but stop some ways as they noticed Burgess on the ground. Lafitte moved his sheath to point at the dead man on the ground with a smirk to the other commanders.

"This is why we kept the boy, such an animal."

"You're just an awful ring leader." I mentioned as he soon chuckled whilst shifting as I moved forward to clash blades together.

"Some animals just have to be put down when going against their master." Our blades moved as I pushed him back with my arm swinging out and soon grabbing the sheath as he tried to strike at my ribs.

"You can't control a  _monster_ , Lafitte." I glowered in a hiss whilst we began moving swiftly before an arm around my waist caught me off guard and I noticed Thatch run by me with his own sword to clash with Lafitte. A hiss left me at the interruption before I was pulled back more into arms. Blue eyes were to me from Haruta as he seemed shocked on everything happening, but was able to speak anyways.

"You're injured beyond belief, Ace! We can handle this!" Surprise was on me as Haruta kind of looked afraid of me and this shaky breath left me. Relaxing into the hold that shifted me more comfortably. After taking some deep breaths, I let my dagger drop and heard it clatter on the ground. A hand moved to rub at my face and through my hair, blood slicking it back.

"Th-then I'm counting on you." I gave a taut smile to try and get that look off his face and he breathed out in relief and gave a smile.

"Easy! Get him back, Blenheim!" The man holding me moved to begin running towards our side and I heard clashing and feet moving farther away on gravel. As I rest, I sighed out with my not bloody hand moving through my hair a couple times and soon found a couple wet spots on the back of my head, but nothing serious.

"The doctors are going to be pissed." I mentioned and got a snort before letting my own chuckle come out. The fighting seemed to dwindle down and more shouting was heard near the building of the infirmary and I felt as everything was settling back. My labored breaths and the blossoming pain in my chest showing I may have fractured ribs. "I'm sorry about that, Blenheim…" A hum was heard as I rested against him with eyes closed to relax my suddenly throbbing body.

"We weren't expecting to run into them, it's not your fault."

"Not that… for what you had to witness…" The words were light on my breath and he kept his grip firm on me.

"It's okay, little brother. We won't let it come out again. You are strong without it and they knew how to pick at you, but now you are with family and don't need to rely on such a thing. We will always have your back, as you have ours." A smile was on me as I reached my hand to grip his shirt and soon heard shouting getting louder.

"Blenheim!  _ACE_?!" The loud shout from Izo made me stifle out a chuckle as I soon felt hands on my body and one to my head. "You  _stupid_  little brother! The doctor said to stay put! Stupid,  _stupid_ Blenheim! How could you let him do something so  _stupid_?!" The shout only showed how worried he was as we moved along to the building, my eyes opening to notice as Izo directed us into the building.

As I was being patched up and cleaned, scolds were at me from the doctor and that one guy from earlier was adding to my paper of injuries. It had very much grown in size and they claimed how I would need to be handled more back at the home, once the vehicle came back around to transport me. Blenheim had left, after getting bandaged and a reprimand, to report in since Pops wasn't too far away. They gave me some really good painkillers to settle the pain I felt and was resting in a sitting up position, their cot being able to be up in such a position.

"You stupid brat!" The shout startled me, causing a flinch to leave me and the nurse with a jolt. A groan left me as I soon noticed blue eyes beaming down at me, injuries littering his body, like a certain bullet wound in his abdomen that he ignored, though the nurse began tugging his shirt off to begin dressing the wound as he stood with a worried glare down at me. "What were you  _thinking_?!"

"Don't start, old man. I'm really high on painkillers right now." I mentioned with a giggle and he soon sighed out with a hand rubbing at his face. Once the bandage was set tight, he shifted over to sit on the bed next to me as I reached my bandaged hand to grab his leg with another giggle. "Hey, hot stuff, come here often?" I joked with him as he snorted out whilst shifting to have a hand on the other side of my head and leaned over with a smirk.

"Listen, brat, don't go doing stuff on your own."

"Whaa? I had Blenheim, he's like this huge titan bodyguard dude!" I mentioned out and this laugh sputtered from him as I frowned with a pout.

"How strong did you give him?" Marco turned to look at the nurse who was tending to his leg.

"Considering the fact that he has some fractured ribs, bullet wounds, and a concussion. Enough to keep him awake, but not really noticing any pain." A giggle left me as the nurse was sighing lightly with a soft laugh and I gripped the thigh.

"Pay attention to me, Marco~!" I complained out as he soon peered at me with a smirk and soon kissed my lips. This giggle left me as I moved my hand to grab his neck and pulled him in for more. A chuckle was leaving him as he pulled back with an amused look on his face.

"Teach has been dealt with."

"Good, serves him right for being a prick." I mentioned out in a light tone as I soon giggled with a wiggle and the nurse swatted my forearm.

"Stop moving." She scolded with a light glare and I showed a pout.

"Bleh!" I stuck out my tongue before a body was resting into mine with hands lining along my sides, making me whine out at the odd sensation.

"Don't put too much pressure on him, Blenheim said he was roughed up pretty badly." The nurse commented and I felt lips pressing to my bare collarbone, surprisingly not covered in bandages. I noticed the nurse give a look before sighing out whilst standing and cleared her throat. "I will be back in a few minutes, and then I will bring the doctor." She left with that as I felt a hand move to line along the bandage around my head.

This giggle left me, "I knew you could do it, Marco~! You're like strong and already some badass and hot and—"

"How does being hot have to do with anything, yoi?" The snort left him as I whine from being interrupted and had my hand move to be around him.

"I would hold you with both arms, but my other seems to be not working." A light laugh was leaving me as I grinned and he pulled away to look at me before my arm.

"They must have numbed it."

"Num-num-num." A snort left him as he chuckled lowly with a smile and lips kissed at my cheek.

"Are you even trying to filter your thoughts?"

"Mh, not really, hottie blondie." A grin was on me as he soon chuckled again with a hand carefully cupping my cheek. "Plus, it's making you happy, why should it stop?"

"You might say something you regret?" Eyebrows were up as to mention like I probably would and I moved my hand to grip at his neck.

"Nah, Marco, take me to the ocean one day."

"Ocean?" The question came out as I looked to him with a smile.

"I want to compare your eyes with how much they resemble the water." Surprise was on him as he blinked a few times before smiling and moving in for a kiss that I giggled in.

"Anything for you."

"Holy smokes!" Hearing the voice had me look over to a certain auburn haired male who came over with worry in his eyes. "You look worse with all those bandages!"

"Whhaaa, bandages? Is that what I am wearing?!" I asked in confusion and Marco had a hand to his mouth and Thatch looked confused. A hand waved out as the blonde tried to calm himself and soon looked to our brother.

"Painkillers." A nod left Thatch before grinning to me and one was returned as I waved an arm out.

"Thatch, Thatch! Marco is going to take me to the ocean one day!" The man was grinning wide as he came over to pet the top of my head along the bandage mainly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, yeah!" The cheer left me as I was patting a hand to Marco's shoulder and he soon shifted to press into me with a low chuckle. "Marco, Marco, give me kisses!" I patted against a shoulder blade and he was shaking with sputtering chuckles into my neck.

"You sure love Marco!" Thatch mention and I gave a look before pouting to him.

"Of course! Stupid!"

"I can make you an  _amazing_  meal when we get back."

"I love you, Thatch~!" I cheered out as Marco pulled back with a grunt and swatted my face a little as Thatch broke into laughter.

"Where is my adorable little brother?!" Hearing Izo's voice I practically giggled again before waving my hand out.

"Here~!" I called as the man made his way over in surprise before hands to my cheeks and he was grinning.

"You adorable thing!" Giggles left me as he soon swatted Marco away so he could wrap arms around my head to hold me close. "Let me braid your hair later."

"Ha? Sure? What for?" I asked out in confusion and he swayed us lightly and I merely laughed out.

"Don't take advantage when he's high, Izo." Marco scolded lightly and I noticed blue eyes staring to our brother and I reached out to cup his face with a smile.

"I still want kisses!" A smile was on him as I soon felt lips on my forehead and he grunted as I laughed out. "Izo! I meant from Marco~!"

"I give better kisses!" Giggles left me with slight wiggles as I wailed my arm towards Marco as I was laughing.

"Alright, everyone." A deep voice came through and Izo pulled away to notice it was the doctor standing with the guy who writes stuff down and that one nurse from before. "First off, you are making Ace move too much, so please leave unless it's important."

"Nah, we will just have Pops come over." Izo mentioned as he pulled away and rubbed a thumb along my cheek before moving away with Thatch who was laughing out with a wave.

"You may stay, Marco, but we insist you not move too much as well." A nod left my lover as the doctor began checking him over and I felt heavy now that everything was cooling off. "Is the adrenaline finally wearing down, little brother?" The doctor asked out as I laid with a slight frown and felt a hand along my hip and begin massaging at the bone. "We have to properly check him over once we get home." The words were to Marco as my boyfriend nodded whilst being let go of any other patch work. "You will be going as well, the bullet is still lodge in there." Words came out as the person writing was finishing up whilst looking to me.

"We still need to find out about the drug, doctor bro." The guy finally spoke out and I noticed Marco stiffen.

"Drug?"

"When Ace first came by he had been drugged, it seemed to frazzle his hormones mainly though. We have to monitor him for a few days to be on the safe side, but that won't be too hard since he should be put on bed rest." Speaking of the last word, I let eyes rest shut as I felt fingers continue the massage.

* * *

"Shush,  _you_." I glared with a finger pointing as Thatch was covering his mouth to hold back his laughter. Being confined to bed was awful and now after a few days, I was  _very_  aware on what I had said during those days. My hair is now braided with a barrette holding back bangs and it was done before everything began to come back to me. "What do you want?" I asked with a frown as I could see him just  _so_  wanting to tease me.

"Well," he cleared his throat a bit before finding his senses. "I was going to ask on if you wanted anything specific to eat." A grin was there and I hummed lightly in thought.

"Anything chicken related."

"Oh, come on~! Be more specific! You know you can be when I ask!" There was whine leaving him as I sighed out whilst rubbing a hand to the back of my neck and gave a slight look.

"Um… lemon pepper chicken…" There was a wide grin and a rapid nod as he understood before a smirk was there.

"Nice hair by the way." A snarl left me as he laughed and ran away whilst making a chirp. "Hey, Marco! I got him all fired up for you!"

"What did you do?!" I heard Marco's voice come out in a growl, making me snort before he was in the room with a look to me. Everything seemed to settle as he smiled and made his way over after closing the door. A smile was on me as he came over to get on the bed next to me and he motioned me to lay next to him against the propped-up bed. "How are you feeling, yoi?"

"Like I got hit by a train." A chortle left him when I spoke that truthfully and I enjoyed the hand trailing along my face.

"Blenheim told me…" That had my face drop and look to him anxiously as he began shushing with a chaste kiss. "It's okay, Ace… He told only Pops and I since we needed to know what happened. I already told you nothing will change my mind." Hands moved to hold my face as he kissed my lips and I felt eyes watering.

"Why though?"

"Because it's what you needed to survive, but now you have a family to help protect you. We are here for you and we know you are here for us." That had me let out a shaky breath and furrowed eyebrows.

"I'm… I'm not used to people being there…" I whispered truthfully and blue eyes gleamed to me warmly with that hand still petting along the side of my face.

"It's okay… we have plenty of time to show you the love you deserve." That reassuring smile had me feel the swell in me as I couldn't believe this all. I had been raised in a hell and now I had family who showed to care for me. "Don't forget I am still guarding that door, you may have sneaked by…" A playful look was there, making me chuckle lightly, and he continued with a smile. "But you can't make it past all of us… I'll make sure to try harder." He shifted forward with lips pressing mine sweetly and this bursting warmth joined the swell at the thought of the family and Marco being there for me through all my flaws.

_I had found what I was truly missing._

_Love._


End file.
